Connecting prefabricated panels at the facades of a prefabricated building



Nov. 10, 1970 GEROLA 3,538,654 CONNECTING PREFABRICATED PANELS AT THE FACADES OF A PREFABRICATED BUILDING Original Filed May 2, 1967 I NVENTOR uc/ano Gero/a m 57- BY /M ATTORNEY Nov. 10, 1970 LGEROLA 3,538,654

CONNECTING PREFABRIGATED PANELS AT THE FACADES OF A PREFABRICATED BUILDING.

Original Filed May 2, 1967 '3 Sheets-Sheet P,

INVENTOR Luciano Gero/a ATTORNEYS Nov. 10, 1970 GEROLA AB TED PANELS AT THE FACADE R BRICATED BUILDING CONNECTING P 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed May 2. 19

INVENTOR I Luciano Gem/a shah. W M

ATTORNEYS 3,538,654 CONNECTING PREFABRICATED PANELS AT THE FACADES OF A PREFABRICATED BUILDING Luciano Gerola, Milan, Italy, assignor to CSEP S.A., Roveredo, Grisons, Switzerland, a Swiss corporation Original application May 2, 1967, Ser. No. 635,446. Divided and this application Aug. 13, 1969, Ser.

No. 860,137 Claims priority, application Italy, May 3, 1966,

,067/ 66 Int. Cl. EiMd 13/00; E0411 N16 US. Cl. 52-97 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This is a division of my application Ser. No. 635,446 filed May 2, 1967, now abandoned, which contains the priority papers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of making a water and air tight connection between prefabricated panels at the joints existing between them along the facades of a prefabricated building. The invention also relates to a building construction which is free of some disadvantages of known building constructions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A building construction according to the invention comprises precast external wall panels the ends at the horizontal joints of which have portions which slope downwardly and outwardly, and the edges in the vertical joints of which are adapted to form chambers arranged one behind the other and extending vertically, adjacent chambers being sealed off from each other by water tight partitions, discharge elements being provided to discharge water collected in the chambers.

A main feature of the invention consists in having provided a wholly dry seal along the vertical joint lines, that is without effecting castings, sprayings, injections, or butterings of materials of any kind, the only casting which is still necessary being the horizontal inner one which is indispensible for the static junction of the struc tural elements forming the joint in the building.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a detailed top plan view of a vertical joint between two facade (wall) panels;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the outer or sealing part of the horizontal joint between two facade panels taken at the line 22 of FIG. 1, and with the sealing elements 12 removed;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic top plan view of vertical joints between a horizontal set of facade panels, one of them being window panel;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional side view of horizontal joints between a vertical set of facade panels;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but more in detail,

nited States Patent 0 ice of a horizontal joint between two facade panels and a floor, the opening of the recess to be filled being made in the floor; and

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5, but in which the opening of the recess to be filled is made in the lower portion of the vertical panel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the vertical edge of each facade (wall) panel 1 has a corner 2, defining a portion of an entrance 3, with protrusions 4 provided for maintaining a certain gap between sealing elements and the panels which may enable a little movement when erecting the structure.

Entrance 3 is followed along the edge by a first curved (concave) recess 5, cooperating with the recess 5 of the adjacent panel to form first chamber 6 of the joint, then by a projection 7, a further curved (concave) recess 8, cooperating with the recess 8 of the adjacent panel to form a second chamber 9 acting as a decompression chamber, and then by another projection 10 and at last by a (closed) chamber 11.

For separating and sealing chambers, contoured sealing elements 12 are inserted from top between the panels at projections 7 and 10. Their curved legs form a seal between the several chambers 6, 9, and 11.

Along a suitably downwardly and outwardly sloping upper edge of each panel, there is arranged a collecting chute 13, generally of molded plastic (FIGS. 1 and 2) held in position by a layer 14 of resilient and compressible material. The chute 13 has a central channel 15 for its centering in the gap between panels, as best seen in the outlined view of FIG. 1. For the transverse seal between vertical panels a layer 16 of a suitable sealing material is provided.

The air and water seal is provided by three subsequent chambers along the vertical joint between panels, separated from one another by suitably contoured or shaped partitions closing the communication between chambers.

More particularly, the vertical edge of the panels has a variable outline which is always suitable to form three subsequent chambers with the like edge of the adjacent panel, namely a first chamber 6 opened outwardly and allowing water entrance, a second chamber 9 opened only downwardly and having the function of compression and decompression chamber, air coming from the sloping channel between superimposed wall panels always urging the first sealing partition 12 toward the outside, and a third chamber 13 which is closed and has the main function of insulation and the secondary function of being a further seal against the water which could possibly have passed the barriers provided between the chambers, in such a case said water being allowed to flow downwards so as to find at the bottom a sloping discharge element, i.e., an element or chute discharging said water to the outside.

The sealing separation barriers or elements 12 between the chambers are made of various semirigid plastic materials such as polyvinyl chloride, modified polyvinyl chloride (geon), neoprene, and the like, having a shape fitted to the panel edge outline. Said separation elements are usually in the form of an H with curved legs, whose ends, even under the more unfavorable conditions of maximum distance, are always bearing against the concrete outline of the recesses of the panel and are establishing the separation between first 6 and second 9 chamber as well as between second 9 and third 11 chamber, respectively, so as to form four barriers to the passage of air and water. At the inside the third chamber is closed by a third contoured element 18 or 21 made of plastic or metal, or could even remain open for receiving the end of a wall, which in this way is braced by the two adjacent facade panels.

The height of the chambers is equal to the height of one floor or story, and they are completely open downwardly onto said element or chute 13 for collecting water and moisture, which is generally made of molded plastic, and provided with a little channel 15 for its centering. Said chute 13 lies on the upper part of the underlying panel and is held in position by a flexible and compressible plastic material 14 which runs along the entire upper edge of the panel.

For the transverse seal between vertical panels a layer 16 of a suitable sealing material such as foamed plastic or rubber, impregnated or not impregnated with waterproofing or glueing materials, for instance the product known on the market under the trademark Compriband. is provided, extending throughout the horizontal joint.

Considering now the more general views of FIGS. 3 and 4, where also reinforcing structural irons are shown, layers 17 of insulating material, e.g., expanded polystyrene, are also incorporated in the panels. Chambers 11 are closed at the inside by edge covers or shaped plates 18 of plastic or metal.

At the joint with a window panel 19, the sealed chamber 11 has a particular shape so as to form a larger space for the passage of an upright piping 20 of the heating system and can be closed by a suitable removable edge cover 21 of plastic or metal. This space may be substantially similar to chamber 11, with the exception of having the interior enlarged for the piping.

FIG. 4 shows in greater detail the features of the horizontal joint between two facade (wall) panels and a floor panel. The upper edge of the panel is first sloping upwardly at 22 for supporting the chute 13, then it reaches the highest point at the outer upper cog 23, then runs downwardly to form recess 24 to be filled in order to provide connection between elements. Recess 24 has a lowered bottom 25 and an inner cog 26, for supporting floor panel 27 which protrudes into recess 24. The space be tween the lower face of floor panel 27 and upper face of cog 26 is filled with cement mortar.

Floor panel 27 has projecting parts 28 with a lowered upper surface supporting the inner lower projection 29 of the upper panel, said projection 29 being placed at a level which is lower than both the casting plane, corresponding to a plane comprising the upper surface 30 of the floor panel 27, and the said upper cog 23 of the underlying panel, so that the upper panel cannot slide out- Wardly.

Opening 31 for filling the recess 24 may be provided in fioor 27, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, but alternatively it is possible to provide for an opening 32 in the inner lower part of the vertical panel, as shown in FIG. 6.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 it is also possible to see further features of the joint, and more particularly a further layer 33 of insulating material, for instance polystyrene, laid during erection before casting in recess 24; the reinforcing irons, shown in thick lines, converging to the joint; the continuous horizontal irons 34 for transversely binding the whole building; the beginning of the tiles 35 of floor 27; the welding or other connection 36 between irons; the laid down concrete 37 filled in the recess 24, and at last the eventual outer facing 38.

Whilst the vertical joint is completely dry, the horizontal joint is divided into the three following portions, starting from the outside:

The first portion is comprised of a recess 13, 22 sloping downwardly, for preventing reascent of water and for outwardly discharging same, the bottom of this recess being continuous in view of the chute 13 located at the vertical joint;

The second portion is comprised of the contiguous edges 23 of the upper and lower vertical panels 1 between which a band of resilient sealing material 16 is compressed; and

The third, inner portion is comprised of a recess 24 wherein structural irons protruding from the panel edges converge, and wherein the connecting concrete casting is effected, after having placed a layer 33 of insulating material at the oustide.

The reinforcing irons protruding from all the elements making the connection converge into the horizontal joint, said irons being welded 36 or otherwise connected to one another before casting. Additional transverse irons 34, which are added during laying of the structure, also converge into the horizontal joint and have the main feature of being continuous along the Whole building perimeter; they are then welded or otherwise connected to the other reinforcing irons before casting.

An inner lower cog 26 at the top of the casing recess 24 in the upper part of the panel 1, allows the provisional bearing of the floor 27 and leaves a gap for inserting mortar of cement under the load bearing portions of the floor 27 so as to warrant an efficient and continuous bearing of it for all its length.

Furthermore, an inner protrusion 29 of the lower part of the panel is provided, which has the same width of the entire load bearing part of said panel and has its bearing at a level which is lower than both the casting plane 30 and the upper external cog 23 of the underlying panel 1 and in this way it guarantees either the impossibility of escape to the outside because of slipping of the upper panel 1, when the latter is only resting during erection, or the complete concrete filling of the joint in any point of its surface, so as to give continuity to the transmission of loads.

When a continuous flooring is to be incorporated in the floor 27, the opening 32 of the recess 24 for casting concrete filling in the joint is not provided on the floor 27 but on the upper vertical panel 1, along its basis, so as to assure continuity of flooring up to the close proximity of the edges of said vertical panel, whilst said opening 32 is subsequently closed and easily concealed by a socle.

The facade (wall) panel bears on the upper surfaces of the floor projections 28.

In the event of a vertical joint between a solid facade panel and a window panel 19, the third chamber 11 is shaped so as to allow the passage of pipings 20 of a heating system and is closed at the inside by a suitable edge cover 21, that is a removable plate for allowing inspection of said heating system. The passage of said pipings provides also the joint, which is always the place requiring the highest degree of attention for thermal insulation, with all the obvious advantages arising from heat of said system.

It is also possible to insert into the third chamber bands of insulating material so as to increase insulation of said chamber, under particularly severe thermal conditions.

Having thus described the invention, it is apparent that the joint according to the invention wholly solves the prob lem of connecting prefabricated panels at the facades giving the maximum static safety and air and water sealing reliability, as it provides for a completely dry joint, excepting the final casting for horizontally binding the elements.

It is clear that several modifications, variants, additions, replacements or removals of parts may be made to the elements of the system hereinbefore disclosed, without departing, however, from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A building construction comprising, in combination, a plurality of prefabricated wall panels, the engaging vertical edges of adjacent panels being recessed to provide a plurality of vertically extending chambers consecutively arranged one behind the other and having communicating channels, water-tight partition elements separating and sealing adjacent chambers from each other at said com municating channels, the cooperating horizontal edges of said panels having portions which slope downwardly and outwardly, and a discharge element provided for discharging water collected in the chambers to the outside.

2. A building construction according to claim 1, wherein said vertical chambers comprise a first chamber open to the outside, a second intermediate decompression chamber, and a third inner and closed chamber, the partition elements separating and sealing said channels being so shaped as to be pressed against the walls of said chambers, said third chamber being closed at the inside of the building by a suitable closure member.

3. A building construction according to claim 2, wherein said third chamber is adapted to permit a heating system pipe to pass therethrough.

4. A building construction according to claim 1, wherein the discharge element is a chute located at the vertical joint between adjacent panels, said vertical joint being closed at the top by a transverse layer extending throughout the horizontal joint and comprised of a foamed material.

5. A building construction according to claim 1, wherein at the horizontal joint the top end of a lower panel is provided with an upwardly directed upper cog adapted to support the upper panel, and the bottom end of the adjacent upper panel is provided with a projection terminating at a level which is lower than the level at which the cog terminates, whereby reascent of water and sliding of panels to the outside during erection are avoided.

6. A building construction according to claim 5 wherein at the horizontal joint the top end of a lower panel is at its inner portion provided with a recess outwardly lined with insulating material, and with a lower upwardly directed cog adapted to support a floor panel, and a floor panel having its end supported by said cog.

7. A building construction according to claim 6 wherein the floor panel is provided with an opening for the introduction of a casting material.

8. A building construction according to claim 6 wherein at the horizontal joint the upper panel is provided at its lower end with an opening for the introduction of a casting material.

9. A building construction according to claim 6, wherein reinforcements protruding from the panels into the horizontal joint are connected together in the said recess.

10. A building construction according to claim 9, in-

eluding a transverse reinforcement situated in the said recess and extending continuously along the perimeter of the building for horizontally binding and connecting all the panels.

11. A combination according to claim 5, wherein said floor panel is provided with projections which are positioned below its upper surface, lower projections of the upper vertical wall panel being supported by said lower projections of the floor panel prior to casting.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner J. L. RIDGI-LL, 111., Assistant Examiner US. (:1. X.R. 52 259, 283, 302 

